How Jimenez thrives from stuttering penalty style

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Raul Jimenez has a career success rate of 95.5% from penalties

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Raul Jimenez has scored all 14 of the penalties he has taken in the Premier League.

And his latest followed a well-rehearsed routine to round off the scoring in Fulham's 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened Burnley as he extended his own record for the best 100% conversion rate in the competition's history.

It also provided the Mexico international with a poignant moment as he dropped to his knees and pointed to the sky with both hands to celebrate his first goal since the death of his father, which was announced by his country's football federation on 13 March.

But while an emotional Jimenez was warmly embraced by his teammates, several Clarets players were directing their focus and ire towards referee Chris Kavanagh over the validity of his stuttering technique.

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Burnley boss Scott Parker said: "Initially I was questioning the actual penalty decision.

"But then someone said you can't step back[wards] on a penalty so I was questioning that - that you can't step back[wards] on the run-up. The fourth [official] told me that's not the case and that you can do that."

BBC Sport looks at the rules, Jimenez's routine and how the 34-year-old has become the Premier League penalty king.

What is Jimenez's style?

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Raul Jimenez has only ever missed two penalties in 45 attempts

Placing the ball on the penalty spot, Jimenez takes around 10 paces backwards and stands with his hands on his hips.

After taking two or three steps to his left, he begins his run-up, stuttering on the way to the spot before stroking his effort into the back of the net.

It is a familiar method and since overtaking Yaya Toure, who scored 11 from 11 penalties - it is one that means he can lay a claim to being the best penalty taker in Premier League history.

"He knows how to do it and he's top. He's so cool, so precise and that is the reason why he has the record," Fulham manager Marco Silva told BBC Match of the Day.

"We are confident that when we get these moments he will score. He never stops completely, the last move when he decides to go, he goes and doesn't stop."

In truth it is not anything that we have not seen before.

John Aldridge, for example, scored 17 and missed one for Liverpool and a considerable number of the 52 out of 55 penalties (94.5%) he scored over his club and international career with the Republic of Ireland, were from a staggered run-up.

Mexico legend Hugo Sanchez has previously suggested that he deserves some credit for inventing the technique, external which forces the goalkeeper to make the first move and often hands the taker the advantage in their one-to-one duel.

Jimenez's overall record is a shade better, with an overall success rate of 95.5%. His only two misses from 45 spot-kicks came for Mexico in 2018 and for Wolves in the Europa League in 2020.

Completely legal but still controversial

Although the technique has no English name, Portuguese‑speaking nations call it the 'Paradinha'. This translates as 'little stop' and Brazil forward Neymar has even attempted to use it from a free-kick. , external

It also cleverly bypasses Fifa rules that prevent a full stop at the end of a run-up.

This style is a legal variation because his faints and stutters occur during the run-up rather than the point of contact.

BBC Sport's Football issues correspondent, Dale Johnson, said: "The act of feinting in the run-up on a penalty was made famous during Pele's time as a player.

"Football's lawmakers banned it for a short while, but in the mid 1980s it was reversed and we're at where we are today.

"A player is allowed to stop or feint during the run-up as they wish - as long as they do not do it directly before they kick the ball.

"It's controversial because it gives the striker another advantage, but it's completely legal in law

"The only time VAR has ordered a retake for feinting was February 2018, when Tottenham defeated Rochdale in a fifth-round FA Cup replay and Son Heung-min was also booked."

In 2010, Fifa called the paradinha penalty 'unsporting' and changed the laws around it but it still appears that many are not sure of what is allowed or not in this situation.

"That's for the referees to talk about. I don't want to say it's allowed or not allowed," Silva added.

"When it's the last moment that he goes to the ball he doesn't stop and until there he is allowed to do what he does.

"He doesn't stop completely. He doesn't miss and I understand why people complain so much."